Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting Toni El Khawand, the Cellar Master from Chateau d’Yquem, at our office for an enlightening Masterclass on the renowned estate. During the session, he unveiled the eagerly anticipated new vintage of 2021, set to be released in March. Alongside this, we had the privilege of sampling the exquisite 2016 and the opulent 2005 vintages.
With an infectious passion, Mr. El Khawand delved into the intricate process behind crafting one of the world's most celebrated wines. It is not only the magical terroir that is enough to produce this famous Sauternes. Yquem's production is all about perfection. Perfection at every stage, from the vine to the bottle. All the barriques used for d’Yquem are crafted from 100% new French oak, and the chateau has embraced organic practices in its vineyards since 2019. Within the vineyards from Chateau d’Yquem you can only find two grapes: Semillon (80%) and Sauvignon Blanc (20%).
Given that the noble rot phenomenon doesn't uniformly affect every vine or cluster simultaneously, harvesting the affected grapes becomes a time-consuming process. It may require as long as eight weeks to complete the harvest process due to an average of six selective pickings necessary to choose the best grapes. Harvesting typically commences in October and can extend into December, all performed by hand with the assistance of 120 pickers. Due to its exceptionally low yield (8 hectoliters per hectare), it requires one vine to produce just one glass of Yquem.
Another demonstration of their pursuit of perfection involves the monitoring of each individual barrel, coupled with regular analyses conducted in the château's in-house laboratory. Following taste tests and laboratory evaluations, barrels that do not meet the château's rigorous standards are set aside. In certain vintages, château d’Yquem even chooses not to release a wine to the market if the vintage does not meet their criteria. The most recent vintage that they decide not to release was the 2012 vintage.
